Idaho Woman Breaks Into Dog Pound

June 1, 2006

COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho (AP) _ A northern Idaho woman spent Memorial Day in jail, booked for investigation of burglary and malicious injury to property after police say she forced her way into the local dog pound to free her incarcerated canine.

Coreen Rae Culbreth, 42, was arrested Monday after she was reportedly caught on a security video taking her black Labrador from the Coeur d’Alene Animal Shelter a day earlier, when the facility had been closed.

Culbreth claimed she found an open door, entered and left with her dog _ rather than waiting to pay the $40 fine, police said. Police say employees of the shelter told them the door was pried open.

``She said it was a foolish thing to do,″ Police Officer Mark Knapp said, following Culbreth’s arrest. ``She knew she would have to pay a fine.″

The dog had been taken to the shelter hours before Culbreth retrieved it Sunday, police said. The dog remained at Culbreth’s home after she was arrested and taken to the Kootenai County Jail.

A 1st District Court judge in Coeur d’Alene released Culbreth Tuesday on her own recognizance. A hearing is set for mid-June.